Self-Regulated Learning and Learning Outcomes in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education: A Meta-Analysis.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) plays a pivotal role in medical education. There is a pressing need for a meta-analytical review to comprehensively evaluate the effect sizes of SRL strategies across diverse learning outcomes and levels of medical trainees. A meta-analysis was executed by searching five databases and resulted in 61 studies that met our inclusion criteria. A three-level meta-analysis was performed to examine the association between SRL strategies and various levels of learning outcomes (i.e., affective, cognitive, and behavioral learning outcomes). Moderator analyses were conducted using meta-regression, considering factors such as types of learning outcomes, training levels, SRL subscales, and quality of the studies. The analysis yielded an average effect size of .212, using Pearson's correlation coefficient, demonstrating a positive and significant association between SRL strategies and overall learning outcomes. Although our moderator analyses indicated that SRL subscales and study quality did not significantly influence the relationship between SRL strategies and learning outcomes, SRL strategies had a more pronounced effect on affective outcomes than on test scores, behavioral outcomes, and mental health outcomes. In addition, the association between SRL strategies and learning outcomes were significantly higher among the clerkship phase of undergraduate medical education than the pre-clerkship phase.

The impact of resilience on academic performance with a focus on mature learners.

BACKGROUND: Resilience is an essential psychological trait that empowers individuals to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. Although it is acknowledged that health professionals need to possess high levels of resilience, there has been limited research comparing how different groups of health students, particularly school leaver undergraduates and mature age graduate entry students, develop resilience in their coursework. METHODS: This study combines both objective (academic grades with validated survey results) and subjective data (interviews) to compare how resilience is related to academic coursework performance for two groups of pharmacy students: the mature age graduate entry (GE, N = 64) learners and school leaver undergraduate (UG, N = 208) learners. We employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design using surveys, academic performance data and semi-structured interviews. The survey tapped constructs related to resilience (burnout, stressors and coping methods) while the interviews elicited a more nuanced understanding of individual and environmental factors. RESULTS: Although there was no statistical difference in burnout experience between the two groups, GE students exhibited more positive resilience attitudes than UG when selecting resilience statements on the survey. Both cohorts indicated in the survey that engaging in distraction activities (physical exercise, sleeping, listening to music, anything other than the stressor) was their most preferred method of relieving stress. Within UG student survey responses, those who indicated support from partners, friends and family had better academic performance, while those who did not report coping methods did worse academically. The three key environmental factors we identified that contributed to both undergraduate and graduate entry resilience were workload, feedback provision and psychosocial support. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is still a need for resilience programs geared at academic success to be implemented in higher education. This study provides objective evidence of academic success coupled with exploration into the nuances of resilience amongst different student groups. It not only highlights the differing resilience development strategies and burnout coping mechanisms in emerging health professionals, but showcases the juxtaposition of two different learner groups (UG and GE students) within a discipline. The cross-cohort facilitation of learning as in the discipline-specific strategies identified can help both groups develop resilience and inform future innovations. By comparing mature-age graduate students and younger-in-age undergraduate students, we identified a wider range of strategies and more positive attitudes to burnout in mature-age students. Health and clinical educators in university health degrees, clinical placements and clinical workplaces can develop effective training materials based on findings from this study to 1) assist undergraduate younger-age health students with developing resilience and 2) further refine mature-age health students' and practicing health professionals' resilience in today's fast-paced clinical workplaces.

Opportunities for guiding development: insights from first-year life science majors' use of metacognition.

Students with strong metacognitive skills are positioned to learn and achieve more than peers who are still developing their metacognition. Yet, many students come to college without well-developed metacognitive skills. As part of a longitudinal study on metacognitive development, we asked when, why, and how first-year life science majors use metacognitive skills of planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Guided by the metacognition framework, we collected data from 52 undergraduates at three institutions using semi-structured interviews. We found that first-year students seek study recommendations from instructors, peers, and online resources when they plan their study strategies. First-year students struggle to accurately monitor their understanding and benefit when instructors help them confront what they do not yet know. First-year students evaluate the effectiveness of their study plans at two specific points: immediately after taking an exam and/or after receiving their grade on an exam. While first-year students may be particularly open to suggestions on how to learn, they may need help debunking myths about learning. First-year students acknowledge they are still learning to monitor and welcome formative assessments that help them improve the accuracy of their monitoring. First-year students may be primed to receive guidance on their metacognition at the points when they are most likely to evaluate the effectiveness of their study strategies and plans. Based on our results, we offer suggestions for instructors who want to support first-year students to further develop their metacognition.

Impact of professional identity on learner well-being of undergraduate nursing students of "double tops" universities: Mediating effect of self-regulated learning.

OBJECTIVES: The pressure of internal competition at the college level has increased in recent years in China with an impact on nursing students' learning and well-being. This study aimed to investigate the current situation and factors affecting professional identity, learner well-being and self-regulated learning of undergraduate nursing students in the Neijuan ecology of the "double tops" universities, and to explore the relationships between these three variables. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was adopted to conduct an online survey of 322 Chinese undergraduate nursing students from seven "double tops" universities. The survey included socio-demographics characteristics, students' professional identity, learner well-being, and self-regulated learning. RESULTS: Results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that professional identity was significantly and positively correlated with learner well-being (R = 0.795, p < 0.001); professional identity was significantly and positively correlated with self-regulated learning (R = 0.843, p < 0.001); and, self-regulated learning was significantly and positively correlated with learner well-being (R = 0.852, p < 0.001). After mediation effect testing, self-regulated learning had a mediating effect between professional identity and learner well-being (95 % CI 0.366-0.548, p < 0.001). Professional identity had a positive predictive effect on self-regulated learning (a = 0.570, p < 0.001), and self-regulated learning also had a positive predictive effect on learner well-being (b = 0.798, p < 0.001). The direct effect of professional identity on learner well-being (0.225) and its mediating effect (0.455) account for 33.1 % and 66.9 % of the total effect (0.680), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The learner well-being of undergraduate Chinese nursing students is in the middle to upper range, and it is crucial to enhance professional identity and develop students' self-regulated learning to improve their learner well-being. This study provides empirical evidence to support the mediating effect of self-regulated learning on the relationship between professional identity and learner well-being among undergraduate nursing students in "double tops" universities. Universities are expected to strengthen career planning guidance and professional competence training for students as early as possible in order to develop quality nursing education programs that produce graduates who enter and remain in the workforce.

Research on metacognitive strategies of children's self-regulated learning.

Background: Learning involves numerous self-regulatory processes, and self-regulated learning includes a few metacognitive strategies. Metacognitive skills start to develop at a very young age, though preschool children face some challenges while using metacognitive strategies. Objectives: The study primarily aims to explore how young students are using metacognitive strategies in their daily activities and how effective they are. Method: The sample of the study is 15 students from a public kindergarten in China, with ages ranging from 3 years to 6 years. The investigation is qualitative in nature and has employed a case study research design. It involves an observational study along with an interview with the teachers. Results: From observational data and content analysis of the interviews, it is revealed that young children do use metacognitive strategies in their regular class activities, which vary according to their age. Teachers' support is found to be essential, especially for this age group of children, for effective use of these strategies. Moreover, it is also seen that metacognitive strategies are also important in developing social skills among young children. Conclusion: Consequently, the findings of this research have significant implications, especially for the teachers and parents who support the children and use metacognitive interventions for their holistic development.

The role of the supervisor in self-regulated learning in the clinical environment: BEME Guide No. 89.

INTRODUCTION: Self-regulated learning (SRL) in medical education is important for successful learning and safe patient care. However, supervisors may be unaware of behaviours that explicitly facilitate or inhibit their students' or residents' SRL, therefore this BEME review explores the role of the supervisor in SRL in clinical environments. METHODS: A qualitative systematic review using meta-aggregation was performed, seeking to draw on the knowledge of included studies and the participants those studies represent to create context-rich recommendations that are relevant and applicable to practice. Categories were developed from individual findings and then synthesised in the form of guidance. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included. Six categories were developed. A supervisor who facilitates SRL is: adaptive, engaged and supportive, builds trusting relationships, is knowledgeable, learner-centred, and crafts the architecture of the clinical learning environment. CONCLUSIONS: Within the categories, reciprocal trust and dialogue creates a positive cycle of supervisor-learner engagement which facilitates SRL, but due to the power imbalance inherent in the supervisor-learner relationship, the supervisor needs to make the first move. The curriculum has an important role to play in fostering supervisor-learner relationships. Supervisor beliefs about their role, and the architecture of the clinical learning environment can facilitate or inhibit SRL.

Workplace learning: the bidirectional relationship between stress and self-regulated learning in undergraduates.

The present study focused on the relationships between various aspects of self-regulated learning (SRL) and stress among undergraduate health science students in workplace settings. Although both constructs are associated with academic achievement (Ahmady Set al., in J Educ Health Promotion 10:32, 2021, Cho KK et al., in BMC Med Educ 17:112, 2017), it is still unclear how they influence each other. Employing a longitudinal diary design, the aim of the present study was to examine whether perceived stress in the previous week impacts SRL-aspects in the current week and, conversely, whether SRL-aspects in the previous week impacts stress in the current week. Subjects were 192 undergraduate health sciences students in their workplace placements. SRL-aspects and stress were assessed using scales and previously tested single-item measures. The 21 SRL-aspects used in this study included cognition (learning strategies), motivation, emotion, perception of the learning environment, and regulation of these areas on a metalevel (monitoring and control). Data collected over 15 weeks were analyzed using multilevel vector autoregressive models, with the data nested within weeks and one model dedicated to each SRL-aspect and its relationship with stress. Among the 21 path estimates assessing the impact of prior stress on individual SRL-aspects, 10 were statistically significant. For individual SRL-aspects impacting stress, 7 out of 21 paths were statistically significant (p < .05). Notably, no model showed statistical significance of effects in both directions. Except for two results, cross-lagged relationships were negative, indicating that better SRL-aspects from the previous week resulted in reduced stress in the current week and vice versa. The effects for the cross-lagged paths from SRL-aspects to stress were predominantly of medium size, whereas the influence of stress on individual SRL-aspects was predominantly small. The present study highlights a potentially causal and mostly negative relationship between stress and various aspects of SRL, but also that the individual relationships require differentiated consideration. The results can be used to develop targeted interventions in the practical part of the training of health science students to reduce stress and improve specific aspects of SRL. Furthermore, these findings underscore assumptions regarding connections between anxiety and increased stress, negative relationships between stress and motivation, and the importance of effective time management strategies for stress reduction.

Online peer assessment in Galenic Pharmacy: enhancing evaluative judgement in higher education.

Assessment influences how students define their priorities and their commitment to the learning process. Assessment strategies can empower students to actively engage in metacognitive processes, fostering cross-curricular competencies. Mastery of these competencies not only enhances deep and meaningful learning but also prepares learners for the challenges of the ever-evolving knowledge field. However, developing evaluative judgement, the ability to critically and autonomously judge the quality of one's own work and that of others, is essential but challenging. The purpose of this study was to design and assess an online educational experience for Galenic Pharmacy students (N = 339) during the 2021-2022 academic year of the Degree of Pharmacy. Beyond content acquisition, the primary goal was to foster evaluative judgement as a pivotal component of the 'learning to learn' competence. A complex task with iterative deliverables was proposed, using peer assessment as the central tool for the development of evaluative judgement. Students were required to give presentations on methods of administering medicines and had iterative deliverables. They underwent multiple rounds of peer feedback. The task as well as peer assessment process were compulsory for all the students. The participating students voluntarily answered an ad hoc online questionnaire in relation to their perception of the overall experience of peer assessment. The outcomes showcased the positive impacts of peer assessment based on the roles of assessor and assessed. An improvement in feedback quality was observed from one iteration to another, and an enhancement of critical judgement was evident. Enhancing assessment literacy might be essential for both educators and students. For educators, this would allow them to set criteria more aligned with competencies, whereas students might place higher value on these practices and actively engage with the learning process. Such engagement is crucial for promoting lifelong autonomous and self-regulated learning.

Mindfulness and Procrastination Among University EFL Learners: The Role of Attention Control and Self-Regulated Learning.

The present study aimed to investigate the interconnections among mindfulness, self-regulated learning (SRL), attention control, and procrastination among English as a foreign language (EFL) learner in Iran. Additionally, the mediating influence of SRL and attention control on mindfulness-procrastination link were tested. For this purpose, 272 university EFL students were conveniently selected and administered self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses were employed. The results indicated that greater levels of SRL and attention control were related to lower levels of procrastination. Further, mindfulness directly predicted SRL and attention control. The findings also showed that although mindfulness did not directly account for procrastination, it could indirectly impact procrastination via the mediation of SRL and attention control. The findings were discussed, and implications and suggestions for future research were presented.

Influence of learning strategies and motivation on anatomy test performance of undergraduate medical students.

To learn and comprehend the large amount of information in gross anatomy, undergraduate students must self-regulate their learning to be properly prepared for the exams within the available time. Even though there are many studies on learning strategies and their influence on test results and motivation, the aim of this study is to investigate characteristics of learning strategies in detail and in relation to the anatomy course of first semester students and how their use is related to anatomy test performance. For assessing the learning strategies, we used the short version of the questionnaire "Learning Strategies of University Students" (LIST-K) (Klingsieck, 2018). Further, we investigated potential influences of motivation and resources used during the self-regulated learning process. The participants in this study (N = 108) filled in the above-mentioned questionnaire LIST-K and a written multiple-choice anatomy test. A k-means cluster analysis revealed three groups of students differing in their self-reported use of learning strategies. Students used either (1) predominantly metacognitive and resource-related strategies, (2) predominantly cognitive strategies, or (3) no specific learning strategies at all. We found no significant overall relationships between the use of learning strategies and test performance. A stepwise linear regression identified the use of cognitive learning strategies (ß =.269) as a significant predictor for test performance (R² =.149, p =.003), possibly as these specific learning strategies help with a systematic and effective approach while studying anatomy and retrieving large amount of memorized information. Further, motivation was identified as a negative predictor (ß = -.277), which might be a result of the short time periods students have to study for exams. Overall findings underline the importance of self-regulated learning as a positive predictor for academic performance. By understanding these factors, a more student-centered approach could be adopted by educators to improve medical education and equip students with valuable approaches for their continuous education, even beyond university.

Psychological Well-Being and Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning.

This study explores psychological well-being in adolescence through a multidimensional perspective using the Adolescent Students' Basic Psychological Needs at School Scale, derived from the Self-Determination Theory. The ASBPNSS focuses on three basic psychological needs (Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness) in adolescence and has not yet been used within the school context in Italy. This study's main objectives are: (1) to validate a preliminary Italian version of the ASBPNSS; (2) to analyze the association between well-being at school and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning; and (3) to verify whether there are differences by gender. A sample of 395 students (mean age = 17.5; SD = 0.75) completed the ASBPNSS and the Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning Scale. The factorial structure, composite reliability, and gender invariance of the ASBPNSS were examined. Associations between well-being at school and self-efficacy were tested with structural equation models (CFI = 0.935, TLI = 0.925; RMSEA = 0.054). Measures of well-being were associated with school self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, which predicted Competence (beta = 0.639), Relatedness (beta = 0.350), and Autonomy (beta = 0.309). These relationships were invariant over gender, although girls reported lower latent means in the Relatedness factor. This study highlights the importance of promoting school self-efficacy and well-being in adolescence.

Promotion of self-regulated learning through internalization of critical thinking, assessment and reflection to empower learning (iCARE): A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) is key in developing healthcare professionals and lifelong learner. iCARE (internalization of Critical thinking, Assessment, Reflection to Empower learning) model was designed to enhance nursing students' SRL. AIM: This study investigated the effects of iCARE on nursing students' reflective practice, SRL, self-efficacy and skill performance as compared to conventional group reflection. METHOD: A quasi-experimental exploratory study was employed on 49 final-year nursing students in a tertiary acute hospital. The iCARE group (n = 24) received guided daily reflective journal with weekly feedback while the group reflection group (n = 25) received group reflection. Both were facilitated by clinical instructors. Participants' SRL score, self-efficacy level and skill performance were measured pre- and post- training. End of posting reflective journal between group was compared. Their experience and perception on both facilitation methods were obtained using questionnaires. Quantitative data were summarised and analysed using Chi-Square test and t-test. Theme coding and content analysis were used to analyse the qualitative responses. RESULTS: Compared to group reflection group, the iCARE group reported a statistically significant improvement in SRL score, reflective practice, skill performance and self-efficacy in skill performance after a four-week clinical posting. Participants from both groups perceived that reflection helped them learn from peers and experience, enhanced their performance and motivated them to learn. Three unique themes emerged only from the iCARE group: iCARE helped to developed SRL; application of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation (APIE) improved clinical reasoning; iCARE improved the use of feedback. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrated the effect of the iCARE model in enhancing the development of nursing students' reflective practice, SRL and clinical learning outcomes. The design of iCARE model that embeds SRL instructions, APIE framework and SRL focused feedback can promote cognitive and metacognitive development as well as skill performance.

How do students of different self-efficacy regulate learning in collaborative design activities? An epistemic network analysis approach.

Introduction: Students' self-regulation skills and self-efficacy are linked to performance and are considered essential for lifelong learning. Understanding these skills and their development is crucial for educational success and long-term personal growth. Methods: In this study, 60 students attending a university-level collaborative design course were recruited as participants. They were initially classified into three groups [high, mixed, and low self-efficacy (SE)] based on the initial test results. Students' written reflections were then analyzed using epistemic network analysis (ENA), aiming to explore the characteristics and developmental trajectories of self-regulated learning (SRL). Results: Comparing with the other two groups, the high self-efficacy (HSE) group demonstrated: (1) more behavioral characteristics of SRL in the performance and self-reflection stages, (2) an earlier development of interest 91 in the task and recognition of its value during collaborative design activities, 92 followed by the utilization of more cognitive and metacognitive strategies; and (3) an "anticipation-behavior-reflection" loop in the self-regulation process. Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of fostering high self-efficacy among students to enhance their self-regulated learning capabilities and overall academic performance. Strategies for improving learners' SRL and future research directions were provided accordingly.

Undergraduates' workplace learning in health sciences education: psychometric properties of single-item measures.

BACKGROUND: Undergraduates' workplace learning is an important part of health sciences education. Educational psychology research considers many different aspects of self-regulated learning at the workplace, including cognition, motivation, emotions, and context. Multivariate longitudinal and diary studies in this field require fewer items than alternatives or even a single item per construct and can reveal the sub-processes of workplace learning and contribute to a better understanding of students' learning. Short instruments are necessary for application in workplace settings, especially stressful ones, to mitigate survey fatigue. The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of single items measuring various aspects of workplace learning. METHODS: Twenty-nine single items selected from the Workplace Learning Inventory in Health Sciences Education were analyzed for reliability, information reproduction, and relationships within the nomological network. The authors additionally analyzed four generally formulated single items' relationships with the full Workplace Learning Inventory scales and external criteria within the nomological network. Participants were 214 ninth- or tenth-semester veterinary medicine students in Austria and Germany who were learning at varied workplaces during the winter semester of 2021/2022. RESULTS: Of the 29 single items selected from existing scales, 27 showed sufficient reliability, but mixed results were obtained regarding validity. Although the items' relationships within the nomological network were similar to those of the full scales, information reproduction was insufficient for most items. The four general single items showed acceptable validity, but the reliability of these measures of states could not be assessed. CONCLUSIONS: This paper reported findings on the psychometric properties of single items for undergraduates' workplace learning in health science education. The findings are crucial for deciding whether to use scales versus single-item measures in future studies. By applying the findings, researchers can be more economical in their workplace learning data collection and can include more constructs.

Autonomous or controlled interpreters? Model of Werktreue internalization for classical musicians.

Self-regulated learning-a cyclical process in which a learner sets a goal, monitors, and self-reflects on one's learning to set the next goal-is vital in instrumental learning. However, many conservatory students fail to initiate self-regulated learning; they take lessons passively, practice ineffectively, and fail to give satisfactory performance. These learning experiences could harm students' well-being, and physical and mental health problems are widespread among students. Nevertheless, factors contributing to self-regulated learning remain unknown. We hypothesized that musicians' autonomy in musical interpretation, which we refer to as interpretive autonomy, plays a pivotal role in self-regulated learning. Without developing interpretation, musicians fail to set personal goals, monitor, and self-evaluate their performances in terms of musicality. Although previous studies imply that interpretation plays a significant role in self-regulated learning, this has not been clearly demonstrated. Studies on interpretive autonomy are scarce due to a complicated discourse surrounding performers' freedom in interpretation. The ideology of Werktreue underpins the classical music field, and classical music performances are evaluated based on how faithfully a performer interpreted the composer's intention. Yet musicians hold various beliefs regarding the meaning of faithful interpretation, thus the degree of interpretive autonomy cannot be assessed unless its clear definition is provided. In addition, the mechanisms that promote or hinder interpretive autonomy in learning remain unexplained. To address these issues, we proposed a model of Werktreue internalization by applying self-determination theory. The model defines interpretive autonomy based on internalization types, identifies its effects on musicians' learning behavior and well-being, and reveals the mechanisms that promote or hinder interpretive autonomy in learning experiences. This model allows researchers and educators to assess the degree of interpretive autonomy, attribute impaired learning behavior and well-being to a lack of interpretive autonomy, and promote interpretive autonomy by supporting students' psychological needs in interpretation.

Virtual Education in Urogynecology: Enhancing Understanding and Management of Pelvic Fistulas.

Introduction: Pelvic fistulas affect a significant number of patients globally, with a relatively low prevalence in the United States. Virtual education offers an effective, scalable solution to bridge this educational gap and lead to a deeper understanding of more common conditions, such as urinary and fecal incontinence. Methods: We developed two virtual cases on rectovaginal and vesicovaginal/ureterovaginal fistulas to enhance medical students' exposure, knowledge, and confidence regarding assessment of pelvic fistulas. The cases could be completed in approximately 30 minutes, asynchronously, and at students' own pace. The cases were integrated into an OB/GYN clerkship. We conducted a survey among students receiving the cases to gather feedback on usability, acceptability, and educational value, which guided subsequent improvements. Results: Forty medical students, ranging from first to third year, participated in the urogynecology elective; 21 (53%) completed the survey. Ninety-one percent agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with the cases. All respondents found the format easy to use and appropriate for their level of learning. Most reported the cases improved their confidence in nonsurgical and surgical management options for pelvic fistulas. Discussion: Offering virtual and interactive patient cases on e-learning platforms represents an innovative approach to increasing clinical exposure to urogynecologic disorders. By providing medical students with the opportunity to interact with pelvic fistulas virtually, these cases can help bridge a gap in clinical education. Future exploration is valuable for examining knowledge deficiencies and developing cost-effective, self-paced, easily accessible educational resources to advance medical training and optimize patient care.

Exploring the impact of digital concept mapping methods on nurse students' learning anxiety, learning motivation.

In involuntary distance education, like during epidemics and wars, students often feel heightened learning anxiety, impacting outcomes. Despite innovative teaching methods, many face hurdles in distance learning. We want to propose specific strategies to solve learning difficulties in distance education. AIM: This study explored whether using digital concept maps (DCM) in physiology courses can reduce learning anxiety among nursing students. DESIGN: The study was quasi-experimental, including a pre-and post-test control group. METHODS: 71 nursing students aged 16-18 enrolled in a physiology course were recruited in the study. DCM was the intervention as a tool for in-person learning (first 12 weeks) and distant learning (final six weeks). Each student was required to complete the assignments independently to compare learning outcomes. Questionnaires were administered, and an assignment evaluation was completed before and after the course's different formats. RESULTS: DCM using software using mobile vehicles (mobile, notebook, pad) is digital learning to help nursing students learn difficult subjects. DCM improved the students' learning motivation and effectiveness more in distance learning than in-person learning, decreasing learning anxiety in both face-to-face and distance learning. CONCLUSIONS: DCM promoted students' self-regulated learning and positively affected learning outcomes by increasing motivation and reducing stress. This study offers a tailored teaching framework for international settings to reduce student anxiety and improve learning effectiveness.

Difficulty sensitivity replaces reward sensitivity during adolescence: Task-related fMRI and functional connectivity during self-regulative learning choices.

AIM: We examined age-related differences in valuation and cognitive control circuits during value-based decision-making. METHODS: 13-year-olds (N = 25) and 17-year-olds (N = 22) made a metacognitive choice to be tested or not on an upcoming learning task, based on reward and difficulty associated with word-pairs. To investigate whether these determinants of subjective value are differently processed at different ages, we performed region-of-interest(ROI)-based analyses of task-related and functional connectivity data. RESULTS: We observed age-related differences in responsiveness of valuation structures (amygdala, ventral striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex) and caudate nucleus, with activity modulated by reward in 13-year-olds, while in 17-year-olds activity being responsive to difficulty. These accompanied age-related differences in functional connectivity between medial prefrontal and striatal/amygdala seeds. DISCUSSION: These results are in line with current views that sensitivity changes for reward and difficulty during adolescence are the result of a maturational switch in effort-related signalling in the cognitive control circuit, which increasingly regulates value-signalling structures.

Reciprocal Relationship Between Learning Interest and Learning Persistence: Roles of Strategies for Self-Regulated Learning Behaviors and Academic Performance.

Learning interest (internal driving motivation) and learning persistence (explicit behaviors) are important factors affecting students' academic development, yet whether they operate reciprocally and how to bolster them are still issues requiring attention. This study aimed to examine the reciprocal relationship between learning interest and persistence as well as the potential mechanisms behind the relationship from the perspectives of internal self-regulation and external feedback (i.e., academic performance). 510 students (Mage = 13.71, SD = 1.77, 44.1% girls) were tracked for one year using questionnaires. Results showed that higher learning interest was linked to greater subsequent learning persistence and vice versa; and both predicted each other over time indirectly through academic performance and the multiple mediating paths from strategies for self-regulated learning behaviors to academic performance. Ancillary analysis verifies the robustness of these results. The findings not only provide evidence of a dynamic relationship between learning motivation and behaviors, highlighting the important role of positive performance feedback in leading to a benign cycle, but also contribute to understanding the potential avenue (i.e., teaching strategies for self-regulation) for optimizing student learning.